The generation of interior images of humans and other living creatures comprises a well understood area of endeavor. High-energy particles and beams are often used in these regards, for example, to form both two and three-dimensional images of interest. Such images, in turn, often serve a medical purpose. This can include, for example, diagnosing a particular ailment or condition, conducting a surgery-related assay of a given patient, and so forth.
The sheer volume of such information, coupled with economic interests to limit an expert's time interpreting such information, prompts the use of automated systems to interpret or otherwise pre-process medical images of this sort. In some cases this can comprise generally matching or registering, to some extent possible, an image in question with one or more other images. These other images may be earlier images for the same patient or may be images (individually or in some aggregated fashion) of other patients.
As another example in these regards, this can comprise automatically segmenting a given image. Generally speaking, segmenting refers to parsing one or more objects in an image to separate one object from another. Segmenting can also include parsing a given object into two or more constituent components, parts, or the like. By one approach, segmenting comprises labeling such objects/parts with corresponding alphanumeric identifiers (such as anatomical monikers, references, or the like).
Iterative processes are often employed to embody such an automated process. An iterative process begins with some approximation (or guess) and cycles through a series of successive approximations to test for a better solution. In some cases, the iterative process of choice is segmentation based. In this case, a technique based on rules and standard image processing operations (see, for example, co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/494,860 entitled ANATOMIC ORIENTATION IN MEDICAL IMAGES as filed on Jul. 28, 2006, the full and entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by this reference) is used to extract the outline of an anatomical structure in a target or destination image. As one simple illustrative example in this regard, the bony tissue in a target image can be labeled by extracting all image pixels above a certain intensity level.
In other cases, the iterative process of choice is registration based. In this case, typically points of interest within the source image are matched to corresponding points in the target image in an attempt to make a point-by-point registration for all points within the source image.
Generally speaking, these approaches are separately used for any of a variety of image types and between any of a variety of sources and targets. These approaches are also sometimes employed with more general models of anatomic structure.
For all their value, however, there is room for improvement. In some application settings these known approaches can be unduly computationally intensive. This, in turn, can require an amount of processing time that is unacceptable in a clinical setting and/or computational capacity that is economically unfeasible. The alternative, of course, may be to accept a processing result that is too course or rough for present needs.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.